*sigh* So another year goes by without Goose Gossage getting elected into the Hall of Fame. To make matters worse, Bruce Sutter was elected. Makes no sense at all. The whole existing voting process should be chucked and come up with something more sensible. The hall of fame should reward careers of baseball excellence. Baseball excellence is about contributions towards winning. Goose Gossage was the most dominant reliever of his era, and that dominance has never been matched since. If a sportswriter with the right to vote on the Hall does not remember, or worse, never even knew how the game of baseball was back in the 70’s then they should not have a right to vote. Those with a ballot should have at least that amount of knowledge and background, otherwise as the writers get younger, only players in the modern context of baseball will get in, and that’s just wrong. Think about it. Let’s say that baseball evolves into a game where teams whose GM’s transact according to Money Ball theories actually begin to dominate (which is not a completely far fetched possibility). You could very well see a dynasty where a team with no superstars goes on a multi-year run of championships. In the context of that type of game, a member of that team who maybe has warning track power at best but ranks high in doubles and walks every year would be HOF material. In the context of that type of game, maybe he should even be a first ballot hall of famer. And you know what? He’d have a better chance of getting in, simply because the modern writers will only know that kind of game and due to their own lack of understanding of what baseball greatness was prior to the Money Ball era. That just ain’t right. This isn’t the rotisserie hall of fame; it should not blindly award membership based purely upon statistical criteria when comparing players from different eras. That’s my final word on this subject (until next year’s rant I’m sure).

Nothing too new in my recent dining adventures. Best meal I had in the past week was at Shabu Tatsu on 10th St. Just straight up shabu shabu and sukiyaki which is always terrific. Usually we go to Lan, but Shabu Tatsu was every bit as good if not better, although to be honest, there is very little to distinguish one restaurant over another when it comes to shabu shabu and sukiyaki. If the beef is of high quality, the experience is usually going to be great, and obviously my friends only go to quality places. R also ordered some really good sake and a grilled sausage app which tasted a lot like mini kielbasa (and who doesn’t love kielbasa?). Also made a return visit to Chikalicious, this time having a blood orange sorbet with an outrageously delicious espresso panna cotta. This was paired with the ubiquitous Essancia Orange Muscat, a wine I usually find a little too sweet and uninteresting for a dessert wine, but seems to turn up everywhere. It did however pair just fine with the sorbet. I would never have ordered it on my own, but that was Don’s suggested pairing so I went with it.

Anyway, it’s a long weekend coming up and I think I’m heading to AC. A couple of friends are playing in the Click2Asia tourneys, but I may just go to play blackjack. Since the blinds go up so fast there, so much of the skill goes out the window, so I’m not as motivated to drive out there so early to make it in time for the tourney. But if I do end up out there on time, I will certainly enter, otherwise it’ll be all blackjack for me, probably at The Borgata. How I do there this weekend will probably determine how soon it will be before my next Vegas trip…